Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T14:48:54.287Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Modifications to MOET nucleus breeding schemes to improve rates of genetic progress and decrease rates of inbreeding in dairy cattle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. A. Woolliams
J. A. Woolliams
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research, Edinburgh Research Station, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PS
Get access

Abstract

The effect of changes in the mating system on the rates of genetic progress and rates of inbreeding are considered for MOET nucleus breeding schemes. Methods are derived to calculate best linear unbiased predictors of breeding value in MOET schemes and the rate of inbreeding under selection. These are applied to different mating systems in which the numbers of sires and dams, and the number of offspring per sire and offspring per dam, remain constant.

Results showed that compared with nested mating systems, factorial mating systems in which the maternal half-sibs are produced instead of full-sibs, could increase genetic progress by 1·12-fold with no additional inbreeding. The increased progress arose through an increase in the selection intensity applied. The rates of inbreeding derived were found to be approximately double those estimated by the formula of Wright (1931) in the absence of selection.

In practice, even if a complete factorial system were to increase the generation interval and consequently reduce progress below that predicted, changes in the mating system avoiding this problem could be implemented that would be of immediate benefit.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 49 , Issue 1 , August 1989 , pp. 1 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Becker, W. A. 1975. Manual of Quantitative Genetics. 3rd ed. Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.Google Scholar
Bulmer, M. G. 1971. The effect of selection on genetic variability. American Naturalist 105: 201–211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burrows, P. M. 1984a. Inbreeding under selection from unrelated families. Biometrics 40: 357–366.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burrows, P. M. 1984b. Inbreeding under selection from related families. Biometrics 40: 895–906.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Colleau, J. J. 1985. [Genetic improvement by embryo transfer within selection nuclei in dairy cattle.] Génétique Selection Évolution 17: 499–537.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gowe, R. S., Robertson, A. and LATTER, B. D. H. 1959. Environment and poultry breeding problems. 5. The design of poultry control strains. Poultry Science 38: 462–471.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, W. G. 1976. Order statistics of correlated variables and implications in genetic selection programmes. Biometrics 32: 889–902.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Juga, J. and Maki-Tanila, A. 1987. Genetic change in nucleus breeding dairy herd using embryo transfer. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica 37: 511–519.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Land, R. B. and Hill, W. G. 1975. The possible use of superovulation and embryo transfer in cattle to increase response to selection. Animal Production 21: 1–12.Google Scholar
Nicholas, F. W. and Smith, C. 1983. Increased rates of genetic change in dairy cattle by embryo transfer and splitting. Animal Production 36: 341–353.Google Scholar
Rawlings, J. O. 1976. Order statistics for a special class of unequally correlated multinormal variates. Biometrics 32: 875–887.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woolliams, J. A. 1989. The value of cloning in MOET nucleus breeding schemes for dairy cattle. Animal Production 48: 31–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woolliams, J. A. and SMITH, C. 1988. The value of indicator traits in the genetic improvement of dairy cattle. Animal Production 46: 333–345.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wray, N. R. and Hill, W. G. 1989. Asymptotic rates of response from index selection. Animal Production 49: In press.Google Scholar
Wright, S. 1931. Evolution in Mendelian populations. Genetics 16: 97–159.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed